diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f476a1b94..e3bb77051 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "react-chart-editor",
   "description": "plotly.js chart editor react component UI",
-  "version": "0.38.0",
+  "version": "0.38.1",
   "author": "Plotly, Inc.",
   "bugs": {
     "url": "https://github.com/plotly/react-chart-editor/issues"
diff --git a/src/shame.js b/src/shame.js
index e20f1da6d..10c40499e 100644
--- a/src/shame.js
+++ b/src/shame.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export const shamefullyAdjustSplitStyleTargetContainers = (graphDiv, {traceIndex
 
       if (transform && transform.type === 'groupby' && transform.styles) {
         // Create style containers for all groups
-        if (!transform.styles.length && update[attr]) {
+        if (!transform.styles.length && update[attr] && Array.isArray(update[attr])) {
           const dedupedGroups = [];
           update[attr].forEach(group => {
             if (!dedupedGroups.includes(group)) {